On the morning of 6/3, in his home on a hillside in group 13, Cao Xanh ward, Ha Long City, Vu Van Duc sat gazing at the sealed room of his son, Vu Van Quan (born in 2015). Authorities sealed the room for investigation.
"The pain of losing a child is indescribable", the 32-year-old father said.
Mr. Duc and Quan's mother divorced when Quan was only a few months old. To allow Mr. Duc time to work, his siblings took Quan in. In 2017, Mr. Duc remarried Pham Thuy Nga, and they had two more children.
According to Mr. Duc, in the beginning, the relationship between his wife and his son from his previous marriage was harmonious. However, as Quan grew older, raising him became challenging. Mr. Duc stated that from grade 3, Quan often skipped school, so he was brought to live with his father.
Mr. Duc recounted that after moving in with the family, Quan ran away from home several times and was disobedient. "I advised and taught him repeatedly, but he wouldn't listen. Feeling helpless, I even went to the ward police to ask for advice on managing my son. They warned me never to tie or chain him, so I had to keep him in a separate room to prevent him from leaving", Mr. Duc said.
The rented house, over 30 square meters, consists of two bedrooms and a common living area. Mr. Duc explained that every day after work, he would sit outside his son's room to watch over him, preventing him from running away or bringing sharp objects into the room.
According to Mr. Duc, his wife often complained about caring for Quan and had admitted to hitting him when he was disobedient. On the evening of 25/5, his wife initially reported that Quan had fallen unconscious. Upon hearing the news, Mr. Duc immediately returned home and rushed his son to the hospital, but they could not save him.
Investigators reported that around 7 p.m. on 25/5, Nga allegedly beat Quan with her hands after seeing him not wearing clothes, causing injuries. By 7:15 p.m. the same day, Quang Ninh Provincial General Hospital received the boy in cardiac arrest, deceased before arrival; his body showed multiple bruises.
Mr. Duc stated that when he took his son to the emergency room, he noticed a bruise on the boy's head. He questioned his wife about the incident, and she replied that she "only hit him twice on the shoulder" in the bathroom, then left, and found him on the ground upon returning.
On the night of 25/5, police invited the couple for questioning. "She was questioned for quite a while. When she returned home, she slept separately. I asked her 'did you do anything to our son? If so, tell me soon' but she didn't answer", Mr. Duc recalled.
After Quan's funeral on 30/5, Nga was criminally detained.
In recent days, Mr. Duc has entrusted his two young children to relatives for care while he handles Quan's funeral arrangements and cooperates with investigators.
He shared that in addition to the grief of losing his son, he also faces conflicting opinions on social media. Many people have revisited his past posts regarding parenting to criticize him.
"They claim I locked my son on an upper floor and starved him. In reality, our rented house is small, only one story, and I never starved my son. My biggest regret now is not being home that evening, like every other day", Mr. Duc said.
A neighbor stated that Mr. Duc's family moved into the rented house less than one year ago. The family lived privately, with little interaction with neighbors. Many people in the area had never met Quan and reported no unusual signs from the house before the incident.
The Quang Ninh Provincial Police Investigation Agency is continuing to clarify the case.
Le Tan
